Once upon a time, not so long ago, “radical” was a lovely word
Up until I left Australia at the age of 21, “ radical ” was in my mind an objective term designating some kind of root , widely employed in pure mathematics, chemistry, music, grammar, political science and the philosophy of empiricism. Bertrand Russell • [ mathematics ] Of the root of a number or quantity. • [ chemistry ] Group of atoms behaving as a unit in compounds. • [ music ] Belonging to the root of a chord. • [ grammar ] Root or base form of a word. • [ politics ] Advocate of thorough or total political or social reform; a member of a political party or part of a party pursuing such aims. • [ empiricism ] Theory that ultimate reality consists of pure experience. These days, I'm sickened whenever I hear philistines linking this lovely word to barbarian hatred and crime.